Exoskeleton-supported portable storage unit

ABSTRACT

An exoskeleton supported portable storage unit is provided. The exoskeleton may be metal sheet panels adapted to reinforce a lightweight non-self-supporting frame/substructure, thereby providing structural integrity to the overall structure while maintaining an overall lightweight, portable storage unit.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 62/926,024, filed 25 Oct. 2019, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to storage units and, more particularly, an exoskeleton supported portable structure.

As the general population becomes more and more mobile, the importance of portable storage units becomes more and more commonplace and needed. Current storage units, however, take too much time and money to build, and are typically too heavy. The weight can frustrate and decrease their portability. Typical storage buildings are built by using a welded metal frame or braced wooden frame. These types of units have much higher build costs, weigh a lot more, and are more time-consuming to construct than the alternative the inventor has innovated.

As can be seen, there is a need for exoskeleton-supported portable structures that are very easy and inexpensive to build. The present invention results in storage units that are better looking, longer lasting, and stronger than any other units, yet have a light weight due to the exoskeleton.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, an exoskeleton-supported portable storage unit includes the following: a substructure separating an inner compartment and an exterior surface, wherein the exterior surface is a quadrilateral in cross section; the substructure comprising a plurality of posts, wherein each two adjacent posts of the plurality of posts define an exterior post surface coplanar with a portion of said quadrilateral; and an exoskeleton interconnecting each two adjacent posts along a respective exterior post surface, wherein the substructure has no welds and no self-supporting bracing.

In another aspect of the present invention, the above-mentioned exoskeleton-supported portable storage unit further includes: a plurality of horizontal members interconnecting each two adjacent posts, wherein the plurality of horizontal members is orthogonally oriented relative to each two adjacent posts, wherein the plurality of horizontal members has an exterior member surface coplanar with the respective exterior post surface, and wherein the exoskeleton comprising overlapping structural sheets.

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, descriptions, and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top front perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top front perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, shown with a rolling door in an open position;

FIG. 3 is a bottom front perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a section view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is a section view of an exemplary embodiment of the e present invention, take along line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides an exoskeleton-supported portable storage unit. The exoskeleton may be metal sheet panels adapted to reinforce a lightweight non-self-supporting frame/substructure, thereby providing structural integrity to the overall structure while maintaining an overall lightweight, portable storage unit.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 6, the present invention may embody a lightweight portable structure 100, and a method of constructing the same. The portable structure 100 may include portable sheds, portable storage units, “mini-barns”, and the like.

The lightweight portable structure 100 includes non-self-supporting framing—i.e., the framing for the portable structure 100 provides no internal bracing or welding—which in turn allows the portable structure 100 to be lightweight. The non-self-supporting framing is reinforced by an exoskeleton 50 of structural sheeting 26. The resulting lightweight portable structure 100 thereby maximizes usable storage space while minimizing weight (through the absence of bracing) compared to conventional self-supporting framing, as well as being a lot easier to manufacture due to the absence of reinforcement welding or the like.

The overall arrangement of the non-self-supporting frame/substructure may include corner posts 10, center posts 12, horizontal rails 14, door framing 16, floor joists 30, and frame sliders 36. The non-self-supporting frame may be made from wood or equivalently inexpensive, lightweight, durable materials capable of resisting the loads contemplated herein without failing.

In a cuboidal non-self-supporting frame/substructure, as illustrated in the FIGS. (though it should be understood that other volumetric shapes are contemplated by the present invention), the center posts 12 may be placed along longitudinal sidewalls between the corner posts 12. The horizontal rails 14 may interconnect the corner posts and adjacent center post. In certain embodiments the horizontal rails 14 may extend along a compartment-side of the cuboidal non-self-supporting frame/posts 10 and 12, while in other embodiments, the horizontal rails 14 may extend between the posts 10 and 12 so as to be flush with an exterior surface of the posts 10 and 12.

The exoskeleton 50 may include overlapping structural sheeting 26. Overlapping may be understood to be that a distal edge of one structural sheet 26 may overlap a proximal edge of an adjacent structural sheet 26 with both those sheets' edges connected together into a portion of the substructure, such as a center post or a corner post. Note, if the structural sheet includes wood members, these wood members may not be overlapping but abutting at and connected to the portion of the substructure (such a center post or a corner post).

The structural sheeting 26 may be metal sheets although any rigid material, including but not limited to wood and fiberglass, may be used if properly employed. The exoskeleton 50, once installed over the non-self-supporting frame/substructure, both squares the non-self-supporting frame/substructure and gives it its strength. The exoskeleton 50 functions to provide enhanced strength to any buildings or structures to which it is applied and is applicable to a variety of building sizes and styles. The advantages of the present invention over the prior existing technology are that it has a lower build cost, it weighs less, and takes less time to construct while providing enhanced strength. No welding or other costly fabrication is required, and with no need for a self-supporting framing/bracing.

A bottom horizontal rail 14 may support orthogonally joined floor joists, thereby providing a bottom of the compartment defined by the cuboidal non-self-supporting frame. Along a top side of the bottom horizontal rail 14 flooring 32 may be supported, while along a bottom side of the bottom horizontal rail 14 may be frame sliders 36 orthogonally disposed and joined thereto. The frame sliders 36 enable the resulting storage container to be engaged and moved with less concern of damaging the non-self-supporting frame/substructure/exoskeleton 50.

Some of the siding/structural sheeting 26 may provide forklift cutouts 34. The door framing 16 may be dimensioned and adapted to operatively associate with a roll-up door 18. The roof of the storage container may include short and long roof supports 20 and 22 that support roofing 24 and gutters 28.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An exoskeleton-supported portable structure, comprising: a substructure separating an inner compartment and an exterior surface, wherein the exterior surface is a quadrilateral in cross section; the substructure comprising a plurality of posts, wherein each two adjacent posts of the plurality of posts define an exterior post surface coplanar with a portion of said quadrilateral; and an exoskeleton interconnecting each two adjacent posts along a respective exterior post surface, wherein the substructure has no welds and no self-supporting bracing.
 2. The exoskeleton-supported portable structure of claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of horizontal members interconnecting each two adjacent posts.
 3. The exoskeleton-supported portable structure of claim 2, wherein the plurality of horizontal members is orthogonally oriented relative to each two adjacent posts.
 4. The exoskeleton-supported portable structure of claim 2, wherein the plurality of horizontal members has an exterior member surface coplanar with the respective exterior post surface.
 5. The exoskeleton-supported portable structure of claim 1, wherein the exoskeleton comprising overlapping structural sheets.
 6. The exoskeleton-supported portable structure of claim 5, wherein the overlapping structural sheets comprises metal sheeting. 